


The Other Side of Love

by agent_starbuck



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Drabble, Early Days, F/M, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Tumblr Prompt, Unresolved Romantic Tension, mentions of Ethan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 22:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20104621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agent_starbuck/pseuds/agent_starbuck
Summary: MSR + 200 random quote: "Yell, scream, cry, please, just say something, anything."Tumblr Prompt. Very early season one. Something is wrong with Scully and Mulder can’t quite figure it out.





	The Other Side of Love

It’s a typical Wednesday morning in the Basement Office. Mulder adjusts himself on the squeaky office chair as he sorts through his slides, handpicking the ones he wants to show Scully by setting them aside in a pile on the desk. He anxiously glances at the clock as he takes another sip of lukewarm coffee.

He’s been here since 6:30 am. She’s late.

It’s not the first time. In fact, he’s been noticing it more and more as the weeks wear on. She’s been distant. Not as engaged in cases as she usually is. Not as quick to argue her typical side during their heated debates. Almost always deferring to him and his ideas without so much as a _But Mulder that’s preposterous_ or a _I can’t believe you’re suggesting *insert crazy theory here*._

He notices it when he searches her eyes– that normally bright, effervescent fire behind her gaze devoid of all passion and drive– and it scares him. More than he’s even willing to admit to himself.

Is she unhappy with him? With the X-Files? Does she want to leave?

He can’t help but feel he’s partially to blame. That he’s pushed her too hard, too fast. That his cockamamie theories have become too much, even for her. That she’s already burnt out with their caseload. 

That she’s grown tired of him.

His ears perk up with the sound of her heels echoing down the hall, and he straightens up in his chair.

“Morning, Scully,” he says as she walks in and throws her briefcase and coat on her chair with a little less finesse than usual. 

“Morning,” she sighs despondently.

He notices right away that something’s different about her. That something’s off. Her complexion seems paler than normal. The dark bags under her eyes taking center stage, a little too prominent against her delicate features, and his heart sinks into his gut.

“You, um, want some coffee?” he asks because he doesn’t know what else to do. Because offering her a cup of substandard, store-brand coffee is the only comforting gesture he can extend at the moment. A fact that practically makes his skin crawl.

“No. I’m fine. Thank you.”

His glance lingers over her, mouth hanging open as he fumbles for the right thing to say.

“I’ve, uh, got a case for us,” he finally begins, carrying the pile of slides over to the projector, switching on the machine and waiting for it to whirl to life. 

“Unusual sightings of a large canine-like creature in Minnesota. But get this, it ambulates on its back two paws.“ 

His tone is enthusiastic. Eager. Hopeful, as he waits for her to shoot down his theories. To tell him he’s crazy.

“Werewolf, Mulder?” she huffs, and it’s a start.

“Well, quite possibly a werewolf-type animal that seems to only make appearances during a full lunar phase.”

“Mmm. Okay,” she says absently. “So. When do we go?”

“I haven’t, uh, quite figured out the travel arrangements yet. I still need to run a few things by AD Skinner.”

“Sure,” she murmurs as she rifles through her briefcase, unable to meet his eyes. “Just lemme know.”

He can’t take this anymore– her apathetic tone, the clear disinterest she displays for any case he proposes lately. Something has to give.

“Everything alright?” he asks, and she freezes in place. It’s a loaded question. One that he’s not quite sure he’s ever asked her before, and the atmosphere becomes fraught with an awkward sort of silence.

“Um, yeah. Of course,” she replies unconvincingly as she searches her briefcase again with increasing vigor.

“You sure?” he prods, unwilling to let it go.

“Yep. I’m sure.”

“It’s just– I dunno. It seems like something’s wrong.”

“Mulder–” she warns as she stops to finally meet his gaze. “I’m fin–”

“Yeah. You’re fine. I get it.”

“What do you want me to say?! Hm?" 

"Yell, scream, cry… hell, just say something, _anything_, other than I’m fine because we both know damn well that it isn’t!” He feels the blood boil in his veins with the utterance of each angry, word. He didn’t mean to lose his cool.

“Ethan and I broke up, okay?!” she fires back, tears collecting in her eyes, and he just stares at her– gobsmacked. 

“Oh, Scully. Geez, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. It wasn’t going anywhere, anyway. We weren't… right for each other.” She swipes at a tear with the back of her hand before it has a chance to streak her makeup. “He cheated on me,” she adds quietly.

“You can’t be serious,” he chokes. Not because he doesn’t believe her, but because he can’t believe that any idiot would be stupid enough to screw up that badly with someone like Scully. 

“I am.”

“_Fuck_ that guy,” he spits and her eyebrows shoot upwards in shock at his abrasive tone. “He clearly didn’t deserve you, Scully. And he’s clearly an idiot if he thinks there is anyone out there even remotely comparable to you. You– you’re absolutely brilliant, witty, funny, kind… you’ve got nerves of steel. Hell, half the men I know wouldn’t dare hold an airbase security agent hostage. And that’s just everything on the inside.” _You’re also incredibly beautiful. Disarmingly, so._ He wants to add, but he keeps himself in check.

“Mulderrr,” she looks away, a blush painting her pale skin, giving it back that glow he’s missed so much, and he thinks he might even see the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

“It’s the truth,” he admits. 

“Thank you,” she says as she looks up, into his eyes, and his heart skips a beat.

“C'mon, Scully,” he moves past her to grab his jacket.

“Where are you going?”

“WE are going to Casey’s to get a beer.”

“Mulder, it’s nine in the morning,” she chuckles amusedly. 

“Well, then you can order a coffee while we talk about Jerkface Ethan and how horrible his breath probably stunk.”

“What are you, five?” she laughs, rolling her eyes.

“Or how he probably couldn’t grow a beard.”

She swats at his arm playfully as they make their way out the door. “Are you done?”

“No, not even close.”


End file.
